Year of the Bible: Faith leaders offer advice for studying Scripture in 2014

By Jackie Bridges and Andrea Honaker

Published: Friday, January 10, 2014 at 10:56 AM.

You’re in good company if your New Year’s resolution is to read the Bible in its entirety this year. Search the Internet and you’ll find several websites where you can sign up to have the daily reading plan sent to your email or your phone. Getting the scriptures is easy. Reading and studying them takes determination and a plan. Local pastors advise staying on track by finding a method that is right for you.

Tackling the word Forest Pointe Church in Belmont is tackling the Bible as a congregation this year. Pastor Ray Hardee said most of the small Bible study groups in the church, including youth, are participating, and it’s been very successful so far. The church is using the “Life Journal Reading Plan” to go through the Scripture. Participants read some of the Old Testament and New Testament each day, which gives them variety and helps keep their interest, Hardee said. They can do the program through a smartphone/tablet ap called “Youversion” or write in a journal. “You’re practicing the habit of reading scripture every day,” Hardee said. “This gives people the chance to get directly from God what he wants to say to them.” The reading list provided by the Greater Cleveland County Baptist Association in Shelby takes more than a year to complete, said Dr. Alice Cullinan, spiritual enrichment leader for the association. “I personally believe that everyone has the time to read at least one chapter a day,” Cullinan said. “Sometimes people set out to read the entire Bible through in a year and quit when they get behind. Reading a chapter a day is doable, although it will take you more than one year to complete it. There is no rush.” Having a support network is important, said Keys Pendleton, a retired United Methodist pastor, who leads Bible study groups called Mustard Seed Gatherings for Camp Loy White in Casar. “Many times, you start off for a week or so then you fall behind and soon you have stopped all together,” Pendleton said. “I find that it helps if you have a support network to encourage you to read the Bible. A small group that holds you accountable helps greatly to keep you focused on your personal time in the Bible.”

How to read the scriptures Sticking with the Bible-reading plan may seem like a daunting task. But, Hardee said the method his congregation is using only requires 15 minutes a day to read three to four chapters. But if people get behind in their reading, Hardee encouraged them to just pick back up by reading what’s assigned for that day. When they play a big game of catch-up, it often turns to checking off chapters while not properly absorbing them. To get the most out of reading the scriptures, Pendleton said to choose a translation that is easy for you to understand. “The Bible is the word of God and should be read with a listening ear to God’s truth,” he said. “The Bible is to be read so you understand God’s truth for your life. The Bible is an open book about God’s salvation story for we humans. The purpose of studying the Bible is to understand the content and the truth it has for your life.” To examine the scriptures, Hardee’s church is using the S.O.A.P. method, which involves Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer. The church members read a body of Scripture and pick a specific passage that speaks to them; consider what impression the words had on them; think about how to apply what they’ve learned to their life; and write a brief prayer to God, Hardee said.

The Wednesday night Bible study group at Hebron the Church of Jesus Christ in Lowell is also going through the Scripture, although The Rev. Thomas Gillespie said they will be going at their own pace and don’t have a specific finish date in mind. Members began with Genesis this week. “The book of Genesis tells about the beginning. As you get over to the last book, Revelation, it’s the prophecy,” Gillespie said, adding that a full study of the Bible will reveal great contrast to the reader. “If you start systematically, you’ll get a rational as well as spiritual look at the book.”

Answering questions Reading the Bible can mean great understanding as well as questions. Hardee suggested the websites Biblegateway.com and Crosswalk.com as some reputable internet sources to turn to for help. Gillespie said “The Commentary on the Bible (based on the NIV)” by Walter Elwell is a good companion book to the Bible. Dr. Bo Wagner, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Mooresboro, recommends “Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible” for newer Christians, and for someone wanting good devotional thoughts, he likes Matthew Henry’s commentary on the Bible. “I would advise for everybody to get a commentary because it will offer detailed outlines and introduction on what’s going on and the 66 books of the Bible,” Gillespie said.” In addition to a commentary, Cullinan recommends a concordance (to help you find verses), a Bible dictionary (to help you learn about people and definitions), and more than one translation of the Bible. “Your pastor can make recommendations about commentaries, handbooks and other material,” she said. “But reading the Bible yourself in one or two translations is the most important thing to do. Bible reading is one discipline. Bible study is another.” Readers should really look at the context of the stories and the basic lessons behind them, Hardee said. “More often than not, the simple reading of the scripture is the best understanding of the scripture,” he said. And when it comes to reading the Old Testament, Wagner said people need to follow the words found in II Timothy 2:15 – the Bible must be “rightly divided.” “In other words, not everything was written to every person for every age,” Wagner said. “Some things were written to specific people for a specific time. But the Old Testament also contained moral laws, which apply to every person of every time and nation.” The ceremonial laws found in the Old Testament were written specifically to the Jews, for their religion, much of which was fulfilled and then set aside when Christ died on Calvary, Wagner said. There are also civil laws written only for the Jews. “This is why a person reading the Bible will see lambs sacrificed all through the Old Testament, but not in churches on Sunday,” he said. “Christ was the Lamb of God; no more lambs from the animal kingdom are needed.”

READERS RESPOND The Gazette and The Star asked their Facebook fans about their Bible-reading plans and their tips for completing the program in a year. Here are some of the responses we received. “I have a one-year Bible that has Scripture for each day of the year. I read it completely twice. I think we all need to read the Bible more to learn God’s word and this is a good way to stay on track.” -- Mary Ann Clark “Last year, I used a Bible which gave Old Testament/New Testament scriptures for daily readings to complete it in the year. This year I am starting with prophetic books.” -- Annie Arledge “I’ve read the Bible through every year for the past 20 since I was saved. I do this because I love Jesus and He died on an old rugged cross for me. I want and need to apply his words to my heart. I fear one day we may not have his holy word to read the way the world is taking God out of everything this country was founded on, so I want to imprint it in my memory.” -- Cindy Bailes

Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published
without permission. Links are encouraged.

You’re in good company if your New Year’s resolution is to read the Bible in its entirety this year.
Search the Internet and you’ll find several websites where you can sign up to have the daily reading plan sent to your email or your phone. Getting the scriptures is easy. Reading and studying them takes determination and a plan. Local pastors advise staying on track by finding a method that is right for you.

Tackling the word
Forest Pointe Church in Belmont is tackling the Bible as a congregation this year. Pastor Ray Hardee said most of the small Bible study groups in the church, including youth, are participating, and it’s been very successful so far.
The church is using the “Life Journal Reading Plan” to go through the Scripture. Participants read some of the Old Testament and New Testament each day, which gives them variety and helps keep their interest, Hardee said. They can do the program through a smartphone/tablet ap called “Youversion” or write in a journal.
“You’re practicing the habit of reading scripture every day,” Hardee said. “This gives people the chance to get directly from God what he wants to say to them.”
The reading list provided by the Greater Cleveland County Baptist Association in Shelby takes more than a year to complete, said Dr. Alice Cullinan, spiritual enrichment leader for the association.
“I personally believe that everyone has the time to read at least one chapter a day,” Cullinan said. “Sometimes people set out to read the entire Bible through in a year and quit when they get behind. Reading a chapter a day is doable, although it will take you more than one year to complete it. There is no rush.”
Having a support network is important, said Keys Pendleton, a retired United Methodist pastor, who leads Bible study groups called Mustard Seed Gatherings for Camp Loy White in Casar.
“Many times, you start off for a week or so then you fall behind and soon you have stopped all together,” Pendleton said. “I find that it helps if you have a support network to encourage you to read the Bible. A small group that holds you accountable helps greatly to keep you focused on your personal time in the Bible.”

How to read the scriptures
Sticking with the Bible-reading plan may seem like a daunting task. But, Hardee said the method his congregation is using only requires 15 minutes a day to read three to four chapters. But if people get behind in their reading, Hardee encouraged them to just pick back up by reading what’s assigned for that day. When they play a big game of catch-up, it often turns to checking off chapters while not properly absorbing them.
To get the most out of reading the scriptures, Pendleton said to choose a translation that is easy for you to understand.
“The Bible is the word of God and should be read with a listening ear to God’s truth,” he said. “The Bible is to be read so you understand God’s truth for your life. The Bible is an open book about God’s salvation story for we humans. The purpose of studying the Bible is to understand the content and the truth it has for your life.”
To examine the scriptures, Hardee’s church is using the S.O.A.P. method, which involves Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer. The church members read a body of Scripture and pick a specific passage that speaks to them; consider what impression the words had on them; think about how to apply what they’ve learned to their life; and write a brief prayer to God, Hardee said.

The Wednesday night Bible study group at Hebron the Church of Jesus Christ in Lowell is also going through the Scripture, although The Rev. Thomas Gillespie said they will be going at their own pace and don’t have a specific finish date in mind. Members began with Genesis this week.
“The book of Genesis tells about the beginning. As you get over to the last book, Revelation, it’s the prophecy,” Gillespie said, adding that a full study of the Bible will reveal great contrast to the reader. “If you start systematically, you’ll get a rational as well as spiritual look at the book.”

Answering questions
Reading the Bible can mean great understanding as well as questions. Hardee suggested the websites Biblegateway.com and Crosswalk.com as some reputable internet sources to turn to for help. Gillespie said “The Commentary on the Bible (based on the NIV)” by Walter Elwell is a good companion book to the Bible. Dr. Bo Wagner, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Mooresboro, recommends “Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible” for newer Christians, and for someone wanting good devotional thoughts, he likes Matthew Henry’s commentary on the Bible.
“I would advise for everybody to get a commentary because it will offer detailed outlines and introduction on what’s going on and the 66 books of the Bible,” Gillespie said.”
In addition to a commentary, Cullinan recommends a concordance (to help you find verses), a Bible dictionary (to help you learn about people and definitions), and more than one translation of the Bible.
“Your pastor can make recommendations about commentaries, handbooks and other material,” she said. “But reading the Bible yourself in one or two translations is the most important thing to do. Bible reading is one discipline. Bible study is another.”
Readers should really look at the context of the stories and the basic lessons behind them, Hardee said.
“More often than not, the simple reading of the scripture is the best understanding of the scripture,” he said.
And when it comes to reading the Old Testament, Wagner said people need to follow the words found in II Timothy 2:15 – the Bible must be “rightly divided.”
“In other words, not everything was written to every person for every age,” Wagner said. “Some things were written to specific people for a specific time. But the Old Testament also contained moral laws, which apply to every person of every time and nation.”
The ceremonial laws found in the Old Testament were written specifically to the Jews, for their religion, much of which was fulfilled and then set aside when Christ died on Calvary, Wagner said. There are also civil laws written only for the Jews.
“This is why a person reading the Bible will see lambs sacrificed all through the Old Testament, but not in churches on Sunday,” he said. “Christ was the Lamb of God; no more lambs from the animal kingdom are needed.”

READERS RESPOND
The Gazette and The Star asked their Facebook fans about their Bible-reading plans and their tips for completing the program in a year. Here are some of the responses we received.
“I have a one-year Bible that has Scripture for each day of the year. I read it completely twice. I think we all need to read the Bible more to learn God’s word and this is a good way to stay on track.” -- Mary Ann Clark
“Last year, I used a Bible which gave Old Testament/New Testament scriptures for daily readings to complete it in the year. This year I am starting with prophetic books.” -- Annie Arledge
“I’ve read the Bible through every year for the past 20 since I was saved. I do this because I love Jesus and He died on an old rugged cross for me. I want and need to apply his words to my heart. I fear one day we may not have his holy word to read the way the world is taking God out of everything this country was founded on, so I want to imprint it in my memory.” -- Cindy Bailes